At IPU’s 143rd Assembly in Spain, Lawmakers Back Africa for Vaccine Equity in the Fight against COVID-19
Parliamentarians across the globe rose in unison at the 143rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Madrid, Spain, for vaccine equity in the fight against the rampaging COVID-19. They rallied around an emergency resolution to support equitable access to vaccines, particularly in the developing world.
Against the backdrop of the emergence of the omicron variant and renewed border closures, IPU member Parliaments unanimously backed the IPU African Group’s proposal: Harnessing global parliamentary support for vaccine equity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resolution calls on the international community to ensure “timely, equitable and universal access to safe, affordable, quality and effective vaccines.” It recognizes that “extensive COVID-19 immunization is a global public good”.
The resolution also underlines the importance of vaccine equity and calls for national and global access to essential vaccines according to risk and needs.
In the discussion, parliamentarians pointed to “a clear schism” between Africa and the rest of the world in the global roll-out of vaccines.
IPU is however, a global organisation of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations.
Today, the IPU comprises 179 national Parliaments and 13 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, gender-balanced and more diverse. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.
